Business | The standards war

China is writing the world’s technology rules

It is setting standards for everything from 6G to quantum computing

Illustration of a red telecommunication tower.
Illustration: Nick Kempton
|Shanghai

A smartphone is a testimony to the power of standardisation. Comprising components from hundreds of suppliers, it can find a signal almost anywhere in the world and connect to a wide array of ancillary devices all because countless companies have subjected themselves to a common set of technical specifications.

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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “The standards war ”

From the October 12th 2024 edition

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